Sitting in a canoe on the Cahaba River, one can take in the sights and sounds of nature and imagine what once was of Alabama’s first capital, Cahawba.

The Old Cahawba Archaeological Park wants the public to remember the rich history left behind through its new project, The Old Cahawba Interpretive panels. The beautiful colored pictures and text encased in fiberglass, will educate visitors about conservation and give them general descriptions of the Black Belt, remnants of prairie life and Cahawba landscape when American Indians reigned, and extinct birds or species from the area.

Made possible through a generous grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and funded by the Cahawba Advisory Committee, the panels will be unveiled May 17 at 12:45 p.m. at the Old Cahawba Archaeological Park Visitor Center in Orrville.

“We’ll be unveiling three big signs and two small panels,” Linda Derry, site director for Old Cahawba Archaeological Park, said. “We hope this can be the beginning of many more interpretive aspects of Old Cahawba and make what we have here more appealing to visitors.”

And though many birds from the ghost town are now extinct, there are some birds that bird lovers can watch on the river while boating. Some of the “river birds” include Red-shouldered Hawks, Belted Kingfishers and Great Blue Herons.

“The Cahaba River is just a great river resource and a great place to see birds and to relax,” Derry said. “These birds are some of the most typical you’ll see.”

Derry believes the panels will help Cahawba’s economy.

“I believe visitors will be appreciative of Cahawba because we have so much authentic southern flavor here,” Derry said. “With more visitors, that’s more money, which is beneficial to the community.”

For more information about the unveiling ceremony or directions to the park, located at 9518 Cahaba Road, call 875-2529.